Oil well tool vibrator



Nov. 3, 1931. J. G. RICHEY OIL WELL TOOL VIBRATOR Filed May 24, 1930 f'ig4.

v.BY

A TTORNEY.

Patented dv. 3,1931.l

^ .um G. nrcan, or ALHAMBRA, CALIFORNIA OIL WELL TOOL 'VIBRATOR Application led Hay 24,

My invention relates to an o il well tool vibrator and has for its principal object, the provision of relativelyv simple, strong and substantial means whereby rotary motion of the drill string will develop vibration in the form of vertical impulses or hammerl blows that are transmitted directly to a'.drill or other tool that has become lodged or stuck in the formation at the lower end of the well hole, for the purpose of releasing said drill or tool.y l

Further. objects of my invention are, generally improve upon and simplify the construction of the existing forms of well tool vibrators or rotary jars, further, to provide a device of the character referred to wherein the vibratory actionor impulses are produced as a result of the successive engagement and disengagement of interruptedV threads on a mandrel and a bowl or sleeve that functions as a housing for said mandrel, further to provide a tool vibrating device wherein the strains developed during the use of the device are equally distributed between and gthroughout the mandrel and bowl or sleeve that cooperates therewith and fur-ther, to provide simple and eicient means w ereby both ends of the mandrel are securely ocked to the bowl vor sleeve while the devlce `and .the drill 'string with which it is associated are being rotated during the normal opera` tion of the drill reamer or. other tool.

With the foregoing and other objects in vlewfmyA invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an oil well tool vibrator constructed in laccordance with my invention.

ig. 2 is a vertical longitudinalsection taken on the line 2l@ of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the mandrel thatform'sa part of my improved vibrator.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 and showing a modifiedform of the threaded connection between the mandrel and bowl.v

. Referring by numerals to' the accompanying drawings which. illustrate l-a practical l of the drill string.l

1330. serial No. 455,224.

embodiment-of my invention, 1 designates the mandrel which is cylindrical in formand on the mtermediate portion of which is formed an integral circumferential rib 2.

Formed integral with the body of the mandrel below the 'b 2 is a plurality of interrupted threads 3 t are spaced apart a distance that is approximately equal to the Width of one thread plus the width of two grooves or channels between threeof the Lthreads.

to l

Formed integral with the lower end of the body of the mandrel is a short thread 4 and the upperend of the mandrel body is externally threaded as designated by 5 in order to be screw seated in the lower end of a sub or coupling that forms a part of the drill string,

which .is a circulation lduct 6 and screw- Formed axially throughkthe mandrel seated in the lower end of the mandrel and depending therefrom is a threaded upper end 7 ofv a wash pipe 8 that forms an' extensi'on of the circulation duct 6.

Enclosing the greater portion of the body of the mandrel is a tubular bowl or sleeve 9T that is preferably formed in two parts to facilitate manufacture and assemblyy and' these-two parts may be permanently secured to each other at the vjoint 9a by welding or the meeting ends ofthe parts may be detachably connected by a screw joint.

Screw-seated within the upper portion of the bowl 9 and spaced apart are nuts 10 and 12, between which is arranged afcompressible packing ring or gasket 11 for the purpose of4 producing a fluid pressure tight joint between the mandrel and the upper ortion of the bowl.'

Formed integral with the bo 1 a short distance below nut 12 is an internally arranged rib or iange 13 which forms an abutl ment or anvil, against which the rib or flange 2 is adapted to engage when the device 1s operatedto impart vibration or hammer blows onto the lodged tool at the lower end Formed integral with the bowl 9 a short distance below the rib or flan' e 13 are internally arranged interrupte threads 14 that are adapted to be engaged by the threads 3 on the mandrel when the same isrotated to develop the vibratory or hammering action.v

Formed within the lower portion of the bowl 9 is an internal thread 15 that'is adapted to be engaged by thread 4 when the mandrel is lowered in the bowl and connected thereto, as a result of the engagement of said vthreads 4 with the threads 15 and that porper portion of the sub or coupling 17 around tube 8 is a packing ring or gasket 19 that is retained in position by a ring nut 20.

As the mandrel which moves vertically in the bowl, tube 8 slides vertically through bore' 18 and the packing ring or gasket 19 provides a fluid pressure tight-joint between the` sub or coupling member 17 and said tube 8, v

Screw-seated on the body of the mandrel 1 just below the thread 5, is a collar 21 in the underface ofpwhich is provided one or more shoulders 22, that are adapted to engage corresponding shoulders 23 that are formed on the upper end of the wall of the bowl or sleeve 9 and the threads between this collar 21 and the body of the mandrel are reversely arranged with respect to the in-V terrupted threads 3 and 14 on the Amandrel and bowl.' l

During drilling operations, mandrel 1 occupies a position within bowl 9 with threads 4 engaged in threads 15 and with collar 21 restingon the upper end of the bowl so that shoulders 22 engage the shoulders 23, as il- 'lustrated in Fig. 3. When so positioned the ythreads 3 on the mandrel are positioned'below and lwholly out of engagement with threads 14, but such engagement is not absolutely necessary. The drill strin is nowl rotated in the usual manner in cloc wise direction or toward the right hand and the mandrel being rigidly connected to the bowl by the engagement of the threads 15 and 4 and the engagementof the shoulders 22 and 23, the parts will rotate as one piece and the rotary motion of thevupperportion of the drill string or that portion connected to the upper end of the mandrel will be directly transmitted to tghe tool or drill string that is connected to` sub`17.

It will be noted. that the interengaging threads 4 and 15 provide a strong and substantial connection between the lower por'- tion of the mandrel and the bowl and the shoulders 22 and 23 provide a substantialdriving connection between the upper portions of the mandrel and bowl and thus the and uniformly kdistributed between the two arts. p vInasmuch as the collar 21 is mounted on a left hand thread on the upper end of the mandrel it will not back oit or unscrew while the drill string is being rotated during drilling operation. l

When the tool at the lower end of the drill string becomeswedged or anchored in the formation at the bottom of the well hole and it is desired to vibrate said tool for the p urpose of loosening same, the drill string is reversely rotated relative to the direction in which it was rotated during drilling operations and such action disengages thread 4 from thread 15 and simultaneously disengages shoulders 22 from shoulders 23.

This reverse rotation continues until l1ammer 2 engages anvil 13 and after such engagement the mandrel is again rotated toward the right hand as while drilling and such action effects an engagement of the threads 3 on the mandrel with the threads 14 on the bowl. As such rotation of the mandrel takes place the-threads 3 on the mandrel. will, during each complete rotation thereof, ride ott the threads 14 on the bowl and due to the spaced arrangement of the threads and 14, the mandrel will move' upward with aY quick motion due to the iupward pull or.

strains on the mandrel and as a result the up# per face of ring or flange 2 will strike against the underface of -ring or flange 13, thereby imparting vibration in the formr of hammer blows that are delivered in an upward direction to the bowl -and such impulses are transmitted to the tool that is lconnected to` said bowl.

It will be understoodthat lwhilethe man-A y' drel is being rotated to eiect an engagement of the threads 3 with the threads 14, the upper portion of the drill string to which the mandrel is connected is under strains developed by upward pull on the drillostring and it necessarily follows that when the threads 3ride off the threads 14 the mandrel will move upward under the iniuence of the pull or strains impress'd on said mandrel so as to bringabout the, vibration or hammer. blows as described. l Y

Thus during the operation of my improved device to produce vibratory hammering action on the bowl and 'theparts connected thereto, the mandrel is .continuously rotated and it is not necessary to reversethe rotation of the mandrel or to stop the same in order to effect a reengagement of the threads or toproducel pulling strains ,in the drill thereto.

- Obviously the interengaging threads and 14 may be formed so that the drill string may be rotated in either direction, that is,

toward the right hand or toward the left hand and ity necessarily follows that the threads 4' and 15 andthe engaging shoulders 22 and 23 must be arranged to correspond with the4 rightV or left hand threads on the mandrel and bowl. Y

It will be noted that in my improved tool the interengaging threads 1" and 1,4 that are effective'in producing the vlbratlon as the mandrel is'rotated extend around practically the entire circumference. of the mandrel and likewise approximately the'entire circumference of the inner face ofthe bowl so that the pulling str-ings when the threads are engaged are equally distributed around the circumference of the mandrel and around the wall of the bowl.

' In the construction illustrated in Figs 1, 2 and 3, I have shown one set of the inter- .l lengaging threads 3 and 14 with the openings or eut-away portions of'said threads o n one side of the mandrel. In order to equalize and distribute the strains developed by the interengaging threads while the tool is being vibrated, two or more sets of lnterengaging threads may be provided on the mandrel and bowl. as illustrated in Fig. 4 and where such construction is employed the openings between the threads ofthe two sets are arranged on opposite sides of the mandrel.

In` order 'to reduce friction between the mandrel and bowl while the saine is in operation the spaces or chambers between said parts may be packed with grease.

In the event that itis desired to impart vibration to the bowl in a downward direction, the drill pipe or string to which the in andrel is connected-is reversely rotated or ro- ,tated toward the lefthand (assuming that the interengaging threads 3 and 14 are righthand threads) and during which reverse ro` tation upward pull or tension is imparted to the mandrel and the drill string to which the same is connected.

lVhen the upper face of the rib 2 that functions as a hammer engages the'underface of the anvil 1,3, the upward strains or tension on the mandrel and drill string are relieved, but

the reverse rotation thereof is continued.- As

a result the threads on the mandrel will ride. vup the threads on the bowl and when theends mer or vibrate the same downwardly.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a well drilling tool vibrator that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manua shoulder on said mandrel and interengaging and bowl.

a bowl in which'said cooperatlng interrupted threads on said manu performing the functions for which it is intended.

The device is provided with a circulatlon facture and verv effective in opening andv simple and effective packing means are provided at both ends of the -device for producing fluid pressure tight joints between the mandrel and bowl.

It will be understood 'that minor changes vin4 the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved oil well tool vibrator may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention, the

scope of which is set forth in the ,appended claims.

-than three-quarters of the circumference thereof, a shoulder on the interior of the bowl, and a shoulder on said mandrel.

2. In an oil well tool vibrator, a mandrel, a bowl in which said mandrel is positioned, cooperating interrupted threads on said mandrel, and bowl which threads extend around the mandrel and bowl respectively for more than lthree-qimrters of .the circumference thereof, a shoulder on the interior of the bowl,

threads on the lower portions of said mandrel 3. In anoil well tool vibrator, a mandrel, a bowl in which said mandrel'is positioned, cooperating interrupted threads on said mandrel and bowl which threads extend around the mandrel and bowl respectively for more than three-quarters of the circumference thereof, a shoulder on the interior of the bowl, a shoulder` on said mandrel, interengaging threads on the lower portions of said mandrel and bowl and shoulders on the vupper portions of the mandrel and bowl for engaging one another when the threaded lower end of the mandrel is screwed into the threaded lower vlport-ion of the bowl.

4. In an oil well toolvibrator, a. mandrel, a bowl in which said mandrel is positioned, cooperating interrupted threads on said mandrel and bowl which ,threads extend around themandrel and bowlrespectively for more `than three-quarters of the circumference thereof, a shoulder on the interior of the'bowl, a shoulder on said mandrel and there being an axially disposed circulation duct formed through said mandrel. f

5. In any oil well tool vibrator, a mandrel, mandrel is positioned,

drel and bowl which threads extend around the mandrel and bowl respectively forl more than three-quarters' yof the circumference thereof, a' shoulder on the interior of the bowl.

a shoulder on said mamilrel,` Athere being l anlaxially disposedcirculation duct formed through said mandrel and 'a tube seated in the lower end of said mandrel and extendingv downwardly through, the lowerportion of said bowl. j

6. In anoil-z well tool vibrator, a bowl formed in two parts that are rigidly connected to each other, .a mandrel within said bowl, a shoulder formed within the bowl, a shoulder formed on the mandrel', which last mentioned shdulder is adapted to engage the shoulder inthe bowl when the mandrel `is moved up- I ward through the bowl and4 cooperating in# terrupted -threads on said mandrel and bowl which threads extend around the mandrel and bowl respectively for vmore than4 three-quer'h ters of the circumference thereof.l

-7. In an oil well tool vibrator, a bowl formed in two parts that are rigidly connectedto eachother, a mandrel within said bowl, a shoulder formed within the bowl, a

i f shoulder formed onthe mandrel, which last m'ention'ed shoulder is ,adapted to engage thev moved upwardthrough the bowl, cooperating which threads extend around'the mandrel.

shoulder in the bowl when the. mandrel is interrupted threads on said mandrel and bowl and bowl respectively formore than threelfor securing both ends of said mandrel toquarters ofthe circumference thereof and cooperating means on said mandrel and bowl f said bowl when said mandrel is at its loweri equal to the width of-three threads and ex most position within the bowl.

8. In an oil wellv4 tool vibrator, a bowl, a mandrel positioned therein, aihammering shoulder on the, mandrel, an anvil shoulder on'said bowl, cooperating interrupted threads on said mandrel and bowl and which threads 'are spaced apart a distance approximately tending around said. mandrel and bowl respectivelynfor more than three-quarters of the circumference thereof.

9, In an oil well tool vibrator, a bowl, a mandrel arranged within said bowl, a haminering shoulder on's'aid mandrel, an anvil shoulder on said bowl and a pluralityv of cooperating interrupted threads on said mandrel and bowl which threads extend around` vthe mandrel and bowl respectively for more 'than three-quarters of the circumference thereof, the openings between the ends of oneset of'threads being diametrically arranged relative to the openings between the ends of the other set of threads. (D 10. In an oil well tool vibrator, a bowl, a mandrel arranged within said bowl, Va

j hammering shoulder on said mandrel, an

Aanvil shoulder on l said bowl, a plu-4 rality of cooperating interrupted threads on said mandrel and bowl which threads extend around'the mandrel and'bowl respectively for more than three-quarters ofthe circumference thereof, the openings between the ends lof oneset of threads being diam'etrically arranged relative to the openings between the ends of the other set of threads and cooperating means on said mandrel and bowl for securing both ends of the mandrel to said bowl when said mandrel is at its lowermost position within the bowl. l

11.- In an, oil well tool'vibrator, a mandrel, a bowl in which saidl mandrel is mounted for 'operation and cooperating means on said bowl and mandrel for converting continuous rotary motionof the mandrel into -vibratory motlon and imparting said vibratory motion to said bowl which 4cooperating means com- 13. In an oil well vibrator, a mandrel, bowl y i within which Isaid mandrel is arranged for Operation, a shoulderfwithin the bowl, a

shoulder on said mandrel, which last mentioned shoulder is adapted to engage the shouldero'n thebowl'and cooperating means on said mandrel and bowl-'whereby continuous .rotary motion of the mandrel in one directlon while under tension, moves the mandrel -lengthwise through the bowl and then releases said mandrel to permit the shoulder thereon to engage the shoulder on said bowl which cooperating means comprises interengagmg threads that extend around the mandrel and bowl for more than three-quarters of their circumference. 4

14. In an oil well tool vibrator, amandrel,

.a bowl within-which said-mandrel is arranged for operation, cooperating means o n said bowl andmandrel whereby continuous rotation of the mandrel, while under tension, develops vibratory motion and transmits same to the bowl, said cooperating means comprising interengaging threads on the mandrel and bowl and which Aextend around said mandrel and bowl for more than threequarters 'of their circumference and shoulders formedon the lupper portion of the bowl and mandrel, which shoulders provide a drivln-g engagement between the mandrel and bowl when said mandrel is at the lower limitI of its movement within the bowl.

15. In an oil`well tool vibrator, a mandrel,

a bowl within which saidmandrel is arranged for operation, cooperating means on said bowl and mandrel whereby'continuous rotation of the mandrel while `under tension develops vibratory motion and transmits same to the bowl, said cooperating means comprising interengaging threads on the mandrel and bowl and which extend around said mandrel and bowl for more than three-quarters of their circumference and interengaging means between the lower portion of the mandrel and bowl for providing a driving engagement between the mandrel and bowl when said mandrel is at the lower /li'mit of its movement in said bowl.

16. In an oil well tool vibrator, a mandrel, abowl within which said'mandrell is arsaid bowl and mandrel whereby continuous l rotation of the mandrel, While under tension,

develops vibratory motion and transmits same to the bowl said cooperating means comprising interengaging threads on the mandrel and bowl and which extend around said mandrel and bowl for more than three-quarters of their circumference, packing between the upperportion'of the bowl and said mandrel, said mandrel having an axially disposed circulation duct, a tube depending from said mandrel and forming an extension of the circulation duct therethrough and packing between 'said tube and the lower portion of said bowl.

17. In an oil well tool vibrator, a mandrel, a bowl within which said mandrel is arranged for operation, cooperating .means on rsaid bowl and mandrel whereby continuous rotation of the mandrel, while under tension,de velops vibratory motion and-transmits same to the bowl said cooperating means comprising interengaging threads on the mandrel and bowl and'which extend around said mandrel and bowl for more than three-quarters of their circumference, packing between the upper portion of the bowl and said mandrel, said mandrelhaving an axiallv disposed circulation duct` a tube depending from said mandrel and forming an extension .of the circulation duct therethrough, a sub located in the lower end of the bowl and packing betweensaid sub and circulation tube.

18. In an oil well tool vibrator, a mandrel,

Ia. bowl in which said mandrel is positioned,

cooperating interrupted threads on said mandreland bowl, which threads extend around said mandrel and bowl respectively for more than three quarters of the circumference thereofandsaid threads lbeing spaced apart a distance substantially greater than the width of a single thread.

In testimony whereof I atix mv signature. v- JAMES G. RICIIEY. 

